THE festive mood from the New Year’s celebrations had not even begun to wear off, when the world appeared ready to plunge headfirst into another round of violence and war.

With protests against economic hardships turning into a bout of serious civil unrest in Iran, US President Donald Trump had on Friday issued an unwarranted threat to “respond” if Iran’s security forces killed protesters, prompting Tehran to respond with the ‘warning’ that such a development would destabilise the entire region. What was being said between the lines does not need to be spelt out for anyone.

The two countries had come face to face during the

© Dawn